Aesthetics of The Conformist - A Video Essay

This video essay demonstrates Bernardo Bertolucci and Vittorio Storaro's use of lines, symmetry, and direction of movement in The Conformist (1970) as a means of defining movement and space in the frame.
(Made as a final project in the class 'Aesthetics of the Moving Image' at Middlebury College).
All shots from The Conformist, used for educational purposes only.
Song: Passando by Mattia Vlad Morleo

[@maxw.midgett4975]

At first I was kind of confused as to why there was no speaking in this "Video Essay." Then I realized that it was brilliant because the cinematography speaks for itself.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

By far some of the most beautifully conducted cinematography I've seen before

[@Hannibal082]

Oh well I guess I'm just dumb

[@28Pluto]

No, it's just laziness. There is no essay here. No thesis, no statement, and no conclusion.

[@petersolomon8894]

In this short wordless essay on Bertolucci's "The Conformist", Shams Mohajerani documents the lines, placement and movement of characters in compositional space. These assembled clips demonstrate the theatricality of Bertolucci's cinematic sensibility, using positive and negative spaces, along with select colour to suggest the emotional isolation of characters.
Film-makers often block the direction of characters in stylised and symbolic ways. In "The Conformist" Bertolucci uses ”tunnel trajectory"; a directorial device Hitchcock used in "Vertigo”, when the despondent Midge walks away from an emotionally broken Scotty in a Psychiatric Hospital.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you for your analysis!

[@lnvenum]

RIP Bertolucci 🥀

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

:/

[@hoomanhosseini8299]

Thank you Bernardo Bertolucci for this masterpiece. The Conformist was one of my biggest inspirations in study of fascism and totalitarianism in general.

[@kushluk777]

Beautiful

[@GulfofCorinth]

Excellent work! Thank you.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you!

[@qoldendays]

this is lovely! definitely bookmarking.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

thank you!

[@user-ww6iq2jx5e]

Beautiful editing! It's so amazing that you categorise walking shots of different directions. And the music is fantastic!

[@carsonlaura]

Wow, thanks for paying homage to this fine film. I saw it when it first came out and fell in love with it, as well as with the actor, Dominique Sanda. A beautiful and intelligent (if a bit foolish) lesbian character was so intoxicating to a young gay woman in the U.S in the early 70's.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

[@NorbertoMelech]

Excellent!!!!

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you!!

[@95_nishanraisulkarim62]

Brilliant.. One of my fav

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you Nishan

[@MartinDelCarpio]

Beautiful!

[@nedd.8479]

The greatest crash-zoom of all time at 2:22.

[@duetforherbivores]

I agree! Same thought when I saw it in the film, the effect is often overused now and can look cheesy but it is perfect when presented here.

[@AnnetteChiniquy]

Incredible!!!

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Appreciate you

[@yallowrosa]

Great editing
the entire movie should be restored with this video style

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

hahahaha

[@memoriesofafeeling]

was lovely, good work with editing here

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you so much!

[@maoise5387]

this is fantastic

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

you are fantastic

[@annarescigno4235]

Amazing:) thank you for this

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

[@nausicaaism]

SUPER!

[@kino-apparatproductions9661]

Great video! Tells much more than the longer ones with commentary.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you! I appreciate it

[@Elfo_Scuro]

Vittorio Storaro's cinematography

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Indeed

[@poeticmedico2183]

A love letter to cinema : )

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thank you so much

[@poeticmedico2183]

@@shamsmohajerani4636 You're welcome brother : )

[@Indigo-z]

Great skill of editing!😊

[@TheGyroBarqusShow]

this is what i can call, a visual essay.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

I appreciate you

[@ctcallado]

ninguém fotografa como o Storaro

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Storaroooo

[@danieljones8320]

Does anybody know the painting at the 1:40 mark? Thanks

[@michaeltrapp1977]

Albert Moore, A Summer Night (1890)

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

@@michaeltrapp1977 Thank you !!! Do you have any idea as to what the significance of the painting might be?

[@micheleciuffreda1283]

Name of music?

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Passando by Mattia Vlad Morleo

[@wesleysyphus5211]

Where were you able to get the footage for this? It looks really great.

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Thanks so much - if you have a hardcopy of the film you can use Handbrake to make a copy of it. At this time I had access to my university library so that’s how I had it

[@wesleysyphus5211]

@@shamsmohajerani4636 Thanks! I love Handbrake.

[@katiedobberpuhl2473]

what song is this?

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

in the description, Passando by Mattia Vlad Morleo

[@sesaarinen]

I can see how House of Cards is being influenced by this...

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

Please elaborate, would love to know what you are referring to in particular! It's been so long since I've seen HoC

[@philbourque5216]

Great fan edit. Consider this; what if one were to remake The conformist today at in u.s. about a young man insinuating himself in Trumps Maya movement.? Imagine all the ugly strip mall, civic centers, and parking lot rally sites. Harsh lighting and a cheesy condom country to sooundtrack. Just wondrin!

[@shamsmohajerani4636]

This could be a crazy film. I might have to start a treatment xD